Can You Restore Longleaf Without Clearcutting
1h 24m | Oct 2, 2026This week on Huntin’ Land, Joe Baya talks with Jody Thrasher, an Alabama landowner, conservationist, and Alabama Wildlife Federation Land Conservationist of the Year, about restoring longleaf pine without clearcutting.
Jody manages land along Hatchet Creek in Coosa County, where he has used thinning, prescribed fire, conservation easements, cost-share programs, and longleaf restoration to improve wildlife habitat, protect water quality, and bring back a more open, fire-maintained woodland.
The conversation centers on a question many Southern landowners are asking: can you transition an existing pine stand back toward longleaf without wiping the slate clean?
Jody explains how his approach has included clearcuts in some areas, but also heavy “quail cuts,” savanna-style thinning, underplanting longleaf beneath remaining canopy trees, and keeping older longleaf, shortleaf, oak, and hickory where they fit the site. He and Joe also discuss the difference between managing for maximum timber return and managing for wildlife, family enjoyment, hunting, aesthetics, and long-term stewardship.
The episode also explores prescribed fire, NRCS cost-share programs, conservation easements, no-till food plots, native plant diversity, and why good wildlife habitat often looks messier than landowners expect. Quail, turkeys, and deer may respond better to diverse, open structure than to a manicured property.
The takeaway is that longleaf restoration does not always require a clearcut. The right approach depends on the property, existing timber, terrain, fire access, and the landowner’s goals.
Sponsors
Dixie Building Supply / Baker Metal Works
